- AI skills linked to salary increases and employment opportunities
- 97% would pay higher salaries to attract in-demand skills
- Four out of five companies are investing in capacity improvement plans
New research from HiBob has claimed that AI skills have evolved from being a “nice to have” to basic requirements for employers, to the point that workers with the right AI skills are more likely to get a job promotion.
The report reveals that almost two-thirds (63%) of UK companies now link AI skills to promotion decisions, and almost the same number (61%) also take AI capabilities into account in regular performance reviews.
About half (31% of all respondents) also directly connect the AI domain to salary decisions, making it a bad fiscal decision for workers not to upskill.
Companies are actively hiring for AI skills
While workers who resist may feel the change is unfair, it reflects similar changes from previous decades, where AI literacy is increasingly treated like digital literacy or spreadsheet proficiency.
As for what AI literacy means, workers are no longer expected to simply use artificial intelligence. Employers now want them to be able to apply them responsibly, efficiently and consistently.
Two-fifths (41%) said security, governance and ethics are the most difficult specialties to recruit for, which makes sense because it’s an ongoing conversation that’s also happening at a much higher level, with tech giants and governments collaborating to minimize the negative impacts of AI.
Three in four (77%) employers now believe that a moderate proficiency in AI will become a basic requirement in the next two years, even in non-technical positions.
This shows that technology is expanding beyond the scope of software developers into areas such as human resources, marketing, sales, operations and administration.
What is the improvement and implementation of AI like?
The data indicates that nearly all organizations (97%) would pay higher salaries for in-demand AI skills: 43% would pay a 10% premium for AI security, ethics, and governance experience specifically.
Other areas that could demand a higher salary include the ability to evaluate and improve AI results and automation and technical integration skills.
While it is unclear how long employers will pay these bonuses, only 3% currently say they will not pay a bonus, suggesting that at least short-term wage increases are on the cards simply because of a worker’s willingness to upskill.
Fortunately, organizations are prepared to support workers who are willing to work, making it a win-win situation. Four in five (82%) companies are investing in AI improvement or reskilling plans, with funded learning programs (33%) and protected time for AI experimentation and practice (33%) emerging as the most frequently used methods.
Almost all respondents (99%) also recognized the importance of peer training and knowledge sharing.
However, the report focuses primarily on white-collar workers, recognizing that senior managers do not always receive the support they need to be able to implement these initiatives.
“The next phase of AI adoption will depend on how well companies equip their managers to turn AI from a tool into a consistent way of working,” said Insights director Ken Matos.
The return on investment (ROI) for companies investing in AI may also be there, as many experience an increase in quality and accuracy (32%), compliance and risk reduction (29%), time savings (25%), and cost savings (25%).
“The challenge for organizations is to turn that expectation into something practical. That means defining what a strong AI capability looks like, incorporating it into roles and performance, and giving managers the confidence to evaluate and develop it,” Matos concluded.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds.
